Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance

04/04/2025

🧬Enhanced surveillance refers to the combining of epidemiological and molecular microbiological data provided by veterinary surgeons and laboratories; often aspart of dedicated surveillance or for associated research initiatives.

🔹EIDS, in collaboration with virologists from the Equine Virology Group, oversees the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB)-funded Equine Influenza Surveillance Scheme. This scheme enables participating veterinary surgeons to submit samples from horses exhibiting clinical signs suggestive of equine influenza (regardless of vaccination status) for free PCR testing. Upon positive confirmation,anonymised epidemiological data are collected and shared through EIDS’ reporting platforms.

🔹Influenza positive samples undergo virus isolation and whole genome sequencing in near real-time, providing valuable insights into viral evolution, vaccine performance and transmission dynamics.

🔹This type of enhanced surveillance proved critical in 2019 when it identified that more equine influenza outbreaks had been confirmed in the first week of January that yearthan during the entirety of the previous year. This early detection allowed EIDS to raise awareness across the equine industry and prompted the implementation of six-monthly booster vaccinations for racing Thoroughbreds.

03/04/2025

Catch up on EIDS' Dr Richard Newton speaking at this year's National Equine Forum - video recording now available!

The recording of the Equine Industry in a Changing World session, chaired by Roly Owers, is available now.

Speakers were:

- Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Borders & Animal Welfare), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra): The Defra View

- Dr Richard Newton, Director of Epidemiology & Disease Surveillance, Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, University of Cambridge: Protecting our horses’ health – what can we each do better

- David Mountford, Chair, British Horse Council: Red tape, money & the law – difficult horses to back.

This session concluded with a panel discussion.

Watch the replay here: https://youtu.be/Pi8yT-zW7sk

02/04/2025

⚠️ Sycamore seedling reminder 🌱

As we embrace spring, it's crucial to be mindful of the emergence of sycamore seedlings. Despite their unassuming appearance, sycamore seedlings pose significant risks to horses.

Sycamore seedlings are associated with Atypical Myopathy (AM), a serious and often fatal condition in horses. AM occurs when horses ingest sycamore seeds or seedlings which contain Hypoglycin-A (HGA), a toxin that disrupts muscle function. The onset of AM is rapid, with mortality rates ranging from 56-61%.

👁️ Keep a vigilant eye on your fields for sycamore seedlings. If you spot any, take action immediately:

➡️ Remove sycamore seedlings from pastures.

➡️ Consult your vet if you suspect your horse has ingested sycamore material.

EIDS collaborates with the Université de Liège's Atypical Myopathy Alert Network (AMAG) and reports any cases of AM in our ICC reports.

➡️ If you are interested in reporting cases or receiving alerts on atypical myopathy, please visit our websites' 'sign-up' page (https://equinesurveillance.org/) and look for the University of Liege logo.

31/03/2025

⏰ We're just over a month away from Strangles Awareness Week 2025!

SAW is dedicated to raising awareness and openness around the infectious equine disease, strangles. Anyone can get involved, it's free and simple - show your support for horses by helping us spread the word, not the disease. 🦠🐴

Because every horse can get Strangles, and every person can make a difference!🌍💛

🗓️ Strangles Awareness Week, 5-11th May 2025 🗓️

28/03/2025

👀 The use of syndromic surveillance follows the general principles of utilising continuously acquired pre-diagnostic data,contributing to situational awareness and better informing decision making.

🔹Syndromic surveillance focuses on clinical syndromes/signs displayed by cases rather than specific clinician or laboratory confirmed diseases. Disease indicators can be monitored in real-time with quick flagging of unexpected patterns of undefined disease for which investigation for novel or re-emerging pathogens/agents may be warranted. Caution is required, however, as mild clinical signs/syndromes may go undetected.

🔹Syndromic surveillance,with its potential to promptly identify shifts or anomalies in clinical presentations among horses across the UK, could play a pivotal role in the early detection of emerging diseases or notable trends. Within the UK there are currently two syndromic surveillance initiatives The Equine Veterinary Surveillance Network (EVSNET) is overseen by the University of Liverpool andEquine VetCompass is based at the Royal Veterinary College. These projects partner with some but not all equine veterinary practices across the UK.

26/03/2025

✏️ The official EIDS Vet Checklist!

🔎 Free influenza testing scheme: Is your practice part of the HBLB-funded equine influenza surveillance scheme? Sign up for free PCR testing at www.equinesurveillance.org.

ℹ️ Free outbreak advice line: Free advice on equine infectious diseases: UK vets, call 01223 766496 or [email protected].

🔔Tell-Tail alerts: Receive text alerts for EI, EHV, and equine notifiable diseases in the UK: Sign up at www.telltail.co.uk

🗣️ Report outbreaks to EIDS: Contribute information by sampling suspect infectious disease cases and supplying EIDS with outbreak information for positive cases by filling out our outbreak reporting form, or by calling us.

🗞️ Read our surveillance report: Get the Equine Quarterly Disease Surveillance Report via email for key updates on equine infectious diseases. It counts as free CPD. Contact us to subscribe

🌎 Stay internationally informed: Sign up for near real-time emails on international infectious diseases. Contact us to receive the International Collating Centre (ICC) reports.

21/03/2025

🗣️Sentinel case/outbreak surveillance refers to the reporting of disease events by laboratories or veterinary surgeons providing epidemiological field data, and is the primary real-time surveillance method to identify, monitor and control equine infectious disease occurrences in the UK.

🔹This approach relies heavily on the initial recognition of potential clinical signs of disease by horse owners or keepers and then requested veterinary involvement and diagnostic testing. These initiatives are critical for timely outbreak detection, informing control measures and enhancing the broader understanding of disease dynamics within equine populations.

🔹Where requested, EIDS provides free assistance to equine vets helping to optimise outbreak control and clearance, helping to guide affected premises to limit onward spread whilst raising awareness and education about endemic infectious diseases of UK horses.

19/03/2025

👀EIDS' RedWatch has had two case reports uploaded since it was launched in December 2024.

🪱 Affected horses were between 0.5-1.5 years old and exhibited clinical signs such as diarrhoea, weight loss, colic, and lethargy, with one case reported to have resulted in death. Diagnostic findings confirmed hypoalbuminaemia (low blood protein levels) and the presence of red worm in faeces

🪱Case history included co-grazing with five or more other horses, alongside a lack of faeces removal from paddocks.

📢Are you a vet that has seen a case of cyathostominosis? If so, please take 5 minutes to upload case information to our RedWatch reporting website ➡️ www.equinesurveillance.org/redwatch

Your contribution could provide valuable insights that help shape future control and preventive measures to combat this devastating disease 💭

17/03/2025

📰 An abridged version of the Equine Quarterly Disease Surveillance Report for 2024 Q4 is now available in the latest issue of the Vet Record.

Topics covered include:
🔹Caution needed in interpreting the finding of avian influenza virus antibodies in a small number of horses in Mongolia
🔹New UK equine postmortem examination surveillance database launched
🔹Update from Defra on African horse sickness and reducing livestock disease risks from moving horses internationally
🔹Focus on the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) International Codes of Practice
🔹A summary of UK equine disease surveillance for October to December 2024
➡️ Find the report here: https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.5347

You can also find our latest focus article written by Sidney Ricketts, James Crabtree and EIDS' Richard Newton "The Horserace Betting Levy Board codes of practice: past and present" also published in this issue: https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.5348

14/03/2025

Next up in our 'All Things Surveillance' series - Types of surveillance 🤔

🧫Diagnostic Laboratory surveillance refers to the collection and analysis of laboratory testing data from veterinary diagnostic laboratories to help us monitor diagnoses of infectious diseases confirmed by the detection of the causative pathogen.

🔹An example of EIDS conducting diagnostic laboratory surveillance is data collated through the Equine Quarterly Disease Surveillance Report (EQDSR). Although the EQDSR relies on retrospective data reported every quarter of the year, it draws information from approximately 30 laboratories conducting diagnostic testing across the UK. This long-standing surveillance and reporting system has been in operation for over 20 years, providing a robust dataset that offers valuable insights into disease trends, testing patterns and the epidemiology of equine infectious diseases within the UK.

🔹A more recent laboratory surveillance initiative involves EIDS collaborating with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) as part of the broader, multispecies National Biosurveillance Network (NBN) to develop a surveillance network for equine antimicrobial resistance which aims to enhance the monitoring and understanding of antimicrobial resistance within the equine population.

12/03/2025

** Job vacancy** Pls Share
Equine Grass Sickness Fund are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced administrator.

Salary: £30,000 - £33,000 (DOE)
Closing date: 21/03/2025
Full details & application form[page] https://moredun.org.uk/careers/equine-grass-sickness-fund-administrator

The EGSF Administrator has a broad range of responsibilities, serving as the first point of contact for the organisation while overseeing various key functions. These include developing and organising events and activities to promote EGSF’s work, leading fundraising efforts, and developing a community of supporters. Additionally, the role involves creating newsletters and content for web-based media, processing donations, managing a small online merchandise shop, and providing essential administrative support to the EGSF committee.

Equine Grass Sickness Awareness Week The British Horse Society

12/03/2025

🤔 How do you help equine infectious disease surveillance?
Whether you're an equine vet, horse owner or yard manager you all play a part 💪

From vigilant horse owners spotting early signs of illness to equine vets and diagnostic laboratories delivering swift diagnoses and reporting these to EIDS.

🌐 EIDS's dedicated team oversees multiple surveillance schemes, aiding in the identification and reporting of infectious disease occurrences, and also provides a free outbreak advice service for UK veterinary surgeons. We routinely evaluate outbreak information and regularly share updates through our reporting platforms and peer-reviewed publications 📰

Together, we form a united front against equine infectious disease surveillance! 🐴💙

10/03/2025

🐴🔬 For over 40 years, the Animal Health Trust (AHT) led the way in diagnosing, researching,and monitoring equine infectious diseases in the UK, supported by the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.

After AHT’s closure in 2020, its vital work led by Dr Richard Newton continued at the University of Cambridge as the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) group. EIDS collaborates with a large network of veterinary diagnostic laboratories across the UK. This enables the collation and summarisation of laboratory testing numbers of equine diseases giving us the ability to examine and assess trends over time.

🤳EIDS provides free outbreak management advice and supports data collection of cases and outbreaks of endemic diseases like equine influenza, EHV-1 and -4 and strangles. Initiatives such as the Viral Isolate Library, a biobank for pathogen sample contributions from clinical cases, also allows for molecular analyses of equine infectious diseases. These projects are crucial for early outbreak detection, guiding control measures, and deepening the understanding of disease dynamics and transmission in equine populations.

🛞Today, EIDS remains at the forefront of surveillance, adapting to emerging challenges, technologies, and opportunities to safeguard equine health in the UK.

07/03/2025

📊 UK Equine Grass Sickness case summary: October to December 2024
🔹Nine cases of Equine Grass Sickness were reported to the Equine Grass Sickness Fund

🔹We’ve provided a short summary of these outbreaks here, but you can explore more information in our quarterly disease report for Q4 2024, available here:https://equinesurveillance.org/landing/resources/reports/dsr20244.pdf

🌱 EIDS would like to remind followers that with the support of the The British Horse Society, the EGSF has a biobank that collects data from case reports alongside biological and environmental samples. Samples are stored and available to all researchers investigating EGS. Find out more here: https://www.grasssickness.org.uk/biobank/

The Moredun Foundation

06/03/2025

Fantastic for EIDS' Dr Richard Newton to be able to attend and speak at this years National Equine Forum 🐴

The morning so far has been full of great presentations and discussions, as alway a very valuable and insightful meeting 💭

Roly Owers chairs the Equine Industry in a Changing World session.

Speakers are:

- Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Biosecurity, Borders & Animal Welfare), Defra: The Defra View

- Dr Richard Newton, Director of Epidemiology & Disease Surveillance, Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, University of Cambridge: Protecting our horses’ health – what can we each do better

- David Mountford, Chair, British Horse Council: Red tape, money & the law – difficult horses to back.

This session will conclude with a panel discussion.

05/03/2025

🗞️ Equine Quarterly Disease Surveillance Report 2024 Q4 News 🗞️
Extra precautions needed for horse transport from Europe to reduce disease risks in UK livestock

🔹Defra reminds EQDSR readers that there has recently been a case of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) detected in Germany, near Berlin, in extensively grazed water buffalo.

🔹This is the first FMD outbreak in the EU since 2011 and Defra have taken measures to prevent incursion to the UK, including restricting the import of untreated products of animal origin, animal by-products and of course susceptible animals from Germany.

🔹Defra would like to make all those in the UK involved in moving horses across Europe aware that if you are travelling to Germany with horses, please make sure NOT to come back with locally bought hay and straw.

➡️ Read more here:https://equinesurveillance.org/landing/resources/reports/dsr20244.pdf

03/03/2025

📊 UK EI disease outbreak summary: October to December 2024
🔹Eleven outbreaks of equine influenza were reported to EIDS

🔹We’ve provided a short summary of these outbreaks here, but you can explore more information in our quarterly disease report for Q4 2024, available here:https://equinesurveillance.org/landing/resources/reports/dsr20244.pdf

⚠️EIDS was made aware of 6 additional equine influenza outbreaks but could not report them due to missing epidemiological data. This was either because veterinary practices didn’t provide information when contacted or permission was not granted to report anonymously at the county level. Vets and their clients are urged to share anonymous details of lab-confirmed EHV cases to strengthen equine disease surveillance data for the UK 🤝

28/02/2025

🔬 The evolution of equine infectious disease surveillance in the UK has been instrumental in protecting horse health. In response to major equine influenza (EI) and EHV outbreaks in the 1960s and 1970s, key developments shaped modern disease control, including mandatory EI vaccination for racehorses in 1981, advances in laboratory diagnostic methodologies and international collaboration.

🗓️ The Equine Virology Unit, established at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) in 1980, marked a pivotal development in the UK’s approach to managing equine infectious diseases in the UK. The unit focussed on improving diagnostic methods for early and accurate detection of viral infectious disease occurrence, monitoring disease spread and conducting research to optimise control and prevention strategies.

🔹This multi-disciplinary approach, developed over several decades, integrating veterinary surgeons and scientists and the Unit then transitioned into the ‘AHT Department of Infectious Diseases’ in 1984 and the ‘AHT Centre for Preventive Medicine’ in 1995.

🔹Today, this important work continues under the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance group at the University of Cambridge, who are committed to safeguarding the health of the UK’s horse population through industry collaboration and data-driven surveillance.